Las Vegas: Film fest to show shorts, documentaries and a thriller

Malcolm McDowell, shown here as Prospero in a scene from "The Tempest" at Disney Concert Hall, will be seen in the feature-length movie "Sanitarium" at the Las Vegas Film Festival.

Malcolm McDowell, shown here as Prospero in a scene from "The Tempest" at Disney Concert Hall, will be seen in the feature-length movie "Sanitarium" at the Las Vegas Film Festival. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

A variety of cinematic newcomers and veterans will be showcased during the sixth annual Las Vegas Film Festival on July 18-21. The four-day event will include an eclectic mix of feature films, documentaries and creative shorts.

The opening day of the festival, which will be at the LVH (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton), will launch with the 1 p.m. screenings of works by student filmmakers from Nevada.

Two full-length features will be shown that evening, including “Sanitarium,” a psychological thriller starring Lacey Chabert (“Mean Girls”), Robert Englund (“Nightmare on Elm Street”) and Malcolm McDowell (“A Clockwork Orange”).

July 19 will bring a full day of films beginning at 10 a.m. That evening at 8:30, a crime drama called “Down and Dangerous” will be screened. It stars Judd Nelson (“The Breakfast Club”) and two UNLV graduates, John T. Woods and Ernest Curcio.

“Of By For,” a documentary that examines the politics and broken promises of the campaign trail, will be shown at 4:15 p.m. July 20. It features Newt Gingrich and Dan Rather.

Tickets for individual screenings start at $10. A Film Festival Pass, which includes admission to all films as well as other events, is priced at $75. Tickets and the complete schedule are available online.